LOCKED IN

UK, 2023, 96 minutes, Colour.

Famke Janssen, Rose Williams, Alex Hassell, Finn Cole, Anna Friel.

Directed by Nour Wazzi.

This is something of a pastime movie, some audiences enjoying it is a psychological thriller, others very critical and dismissing it.

The screenplay is by Rowan Joffe (Brighton Rock).

This is a British production, a mansion, a sinister witch=like figure, an orphan seeming-heroine, a doctor. The title refers to a patient in hospital, Katherine, played by Famke Janssen, the matriarch of the mansion, coming out of coma, unable to communicate except by blinking, eventually indicating to the sympathetic nurse, Anna Friel, that she is the victim of a murder attempt. Visiting the hospital is Lena, Rose Williams, adopted daughter of Katherine.

Lena tells her story to the nurse, not always the truth. The action of the film moves back to Lena’s childhood in the situation at the mansion, Katherine and her stepson, always ill, and owning the mansion on the death of his father. The action also moves back three years to the wedding between the two young people and the further complications. Also in the action is the local GP, Dr Lawrence, who supervises the medication for the young epileptic.

As the plot develops, it seems moving towards a straightforward solution to the murder attempt – but, then there are so many twists, changing emotions, seeming betrayals, that it is difficult to know the authentic feelings of each of the three central characters. Some audiences enjoy trying to work this out – others gave up on it.

1. The title, Katherine and her injuries, coma, physical and psychological condition? Main characters locked in the mansion? Jamie locked into his epileptic condition, staying in the mansion?
2. The British thriller, psychological? Touch of the Gothic? Memories of Rebecca?
3. The mansion, the grounds, the interiors, the river and the island, the hospital? The musical score
4. The opening, Nurse Nicky, focus on her face and eyes, her interrogating Katherine, getting her to identify letters? Katherine, recovering from coma, her injuries, eye shut, fixed eye, linking? Returning to this sequence at the end?
5. The screenplay, the present, going back 30 years, going back three years, the dramatic interplay of the time eras?
6. Lena, at the hospital, with Nicky, concerns, fears, narrating the story?
7. 13 years earlier, the situation, Katherine and Lena’s mother, friends, falling out, the mother’s death, Katherine becoming surrogate mother, her husband and his death, stepmother to Jamie? The past career, wanting a comeback, dressing up and going out, socialising?
8. The issue of the inheritance, Jamie owning the house, Katherine in charge but not in charge, Lena and her age, devotion to Katherine, devotion to Jamie? His health, epileptic fits? And his ability to pretend to have fits?
9. The flashback to 3 years earlier, the surprise of Jamie and Lena marrying, Katherine hovering like the traditional wicked witch, her speeches about the house, toasting, Jamie’s reaction, the dancing, his having a fit, carried out?
10. The presence of Dr Lawrence, the prescriptions for Jamie, the discussions about the prescriptions? At the wedding? Jamie in the hospital, the encounter with Nurse Nicky and her criticisms, his reaction?
11. Lena, the isolation, her journal, her thought about Katherine, the birthday sequence, the cake, Katherine’s reaction? Dr Lawrence’s presence? Lena and the attraction, her seduction, the sexual encounters? Indication of being willing to murder, Jamie and his wanting to have a picnic on the island, Dr Lawrence and his plan, going past the woodcutters, capsising the boat, dragging Jamie down? The police and satisfactory explanations?
12. Lena and visits to the hospital, Katherine’s gradual recovery, the indication of murder?
13. The seeming straightforwardness of the plot, the murder of Jamie, the murder of Katherine, the selling of the house, the money? Yet Lena and her protectiveness towards Jamie, the impact of his death, in the fascination with Dr Lawrence the future, her reactions to Katherine?
14. The even further twists, audiences puzzled about Dr Lawrence, with Katherine, the seeming plan, with Lena, seeming double betrayals, the pursuit of Lena, Katherine saving her, not shooting, Dr Lawrence driving and hitting Katherine? The plan to take Katherine from the hospital, bring her home, the suggestion of poison?
15. The setup, Katherine and her blinking, communicating with Lena, Dr Lawrence preparing the medication, Lena and decisions, injecting Dr Lawrence, stabbing Dr Lawrence, Nurse Nicky and her concern, the arrival of the police?
16. The future, Lena owning the house because of Jamie’s death, with Katherine…?